NEWS

Two senior execs depart Argos

Argos’ digital director Mark Steel and marketing director Gary Kibble will step down in August as part of Sainsbury’s drive to better integrate the two businesses, Retail Week has reported.

Mark has been at Argos since joining the business as a part-time worker in 1996 when he was still a student at Aston University. He progressed to become an area manager, buyer and then trading manager, before taking on the role of head of product marketing in 2012.

Gary was digital operations director when Argos was acquired by Sainsbury’s in 2016. He was named digital director for Sainsbury’s Argos the following year. Sainsbury’s plans to hire a new director of digital product in due course, who will report to the group’s chief digital officer Clodagh Moriarty.

Gary joined Sainsbury’s Argos from Mothercare in June 2017. Since then, he has held responsibility for consumer brand strategy and delivery, own brand, product and brand marketing across the two retailers’ non-food operations.

Following Gary’s departure, Mark Given will take on the newly created role of chief marketing officer for the Sainsbury’s group.

In addition to the two senior departures, the supermarket is also streamlining its commercial operations teams at its office in Holborn in a bid to drive further efficiencies. A source close to the situation suggested that the number of employees impacted by the change is “in the tens”.